Hindustani Awam Morcha's Bihar chief quits

PATNA: After the humiliating defeat in Bihar polls, Shakuni Chaudhary, state president of Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) which is a BJP ally, today resigned from his post and announced that he was quitting electoral politics.

At a press conference here, Chaudhary announced his resignation from the post of state president of HAM, formed by former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi after his ouster from JD(U).

"All my desires are fulfilled and that is why I am announcing giving up electoral politics," the state chief of Jitan Ram Manjhi's party said.

Chaudhary lost from Tarapur seat in Munger at the hands of Mewalal Chaudhary of JD(U) by about 12,000 votes.

His son Rajesh Kumar also lost from Khagaria seat against sitting JD(U) MLA Poonam Devi Yadav.

HAM, an important constituent of NDA coaltion, fared badly in Bihar polls. It could manage to win only one seat out of 21 it fought under NDA banner.

Only its chief Jitan Ram Manjhi managed to win one seat of Imamganj (reserved) in Gaya. Manjhi lost from his sitting seat of Makhdumpur.

Shakuni Chaudhary, who left his job in army after serving for 15 years, has had a long innings in politics.

Fighting state Assembly elections for the first time in 1980, Chaudhary was elected as MLA for seven times and also served as MP from Khagaria once.

He had been a minister in the previous RJD government.

Chaudhary, who has long association with both Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar, congratuleated them for a landslide victory and exuded confidence they would take Bihar on the path of development.